§ 308-75. Tuition Reimbursement.

Employees may receive reimbursement for tuition in accordance with the provisions of this section and supplemental rules and regulations not in conflict therewith issued by the personnel officer with the approval of the manager.

(a)

Education courses and programs related to the work of an eligible employee may be partially or fully reimbursed by the employee's department or agency upon successful completion of such courses in accordance with the following conditions and provisions:

(1)

The recipient must be a permanent, full-time employee. The employee must have completed his or her probationary period prior to starting date of course.

(2)

The education or training must be obtained by attendance at an approved and accredited college, university, secondary school, technical institute, business institute, or other education institute or school. In order to be eligible the school must be approved by the city personnel officer, and the employee must be able to attend without interfering with his or her normal work schedule. Correspondence courses are not eligible for reimbursement.

(3)

The agency or department can reimburse up to a maximum of 50 percent of the employee's tuition cost for six credit hours per academic session. An employee will be eligible for 100% tuition reimbursement for achieving a grade of A in an approved course, 80% tuition reimbursement for achieving a grade of B in an approved course, and 60% tuition reimbursement for achieving a grade of C in an approved course. In courses that are graded on a pass/fail basis, 80% tuition reimbursement will be granted for a passing grade, 0% reimbursement for a failing grade.

Courses which will be approved are those which the department head and the city personnel officer determine are: (1) those courses directly related to the employee's present job, (2) those courses related to a reasonable promotional opportunity for the employee, or (3) elective and/or required courses in a degree program which is directly related to the employee's job or a reasonable promotional opportunity.

(4)

A request for reimbursement must be filed in advance of course registration using the appropriate form. After departmental/divisional approval is obtained and within 30 days of completion of the academic session, the employee requesting reimbursement must submit a receipt of tuition payment and a grade report to the department showing that he or she has successfully completed the course or program.

The department will then forward the receipt, the grade report and a claim voucher to the accounts and audits division for reimbursement action. Accounts and audits will then issue a check to the employee.

Departments should request funds for tuition reimbursement per the instruction of the budget and evaluation office each year during the preparation of their annual budgets.

(b)

A reasonable promotional opportunity is considered any position in the city service for which a present employee could eventually take a promotional or open exam and which has a higher pay scale than present job.

In the event of a question arising as to the appropriateness of a course, or as to the reasonableness of a promotional opportunity, the city personnel officer shall be the deciding authority.

In the case of a full-time employee who is also a full-time student paying a flat rate, the amount to be reimbursed will be determined by dividing the number of hours taken into the tuition or instructional fee (not including any general or special fees) to get the employee's cost per credit hour which will be reimbursed according to the percentages detailed in section (a)(3) above, based on the grades of the employee in his/her highest grade in six qualifying credit hours per academic session.

Except for financial assistance received because of service in the armed forces, those employees who are receiving other financial aid will be reimbursed based on their actual tuition expense.

(C.M.C. 308-75; ordained by Ord. No. 90-1974, eff. Mar. 13, 1974; a. Ord. 157-84, eff. April 11, 1984; a. Ord. No. 434-1998, eff. Dec. 2, 1998)